On the Yard

On the Yard is a 1979 American prison drama film written by Malcolm Braly, directed by Raphael D. Silver and starring John Heard. It is based on Braly's novel of the same name.

Cast

 * John Heard as Paul Juleson
 * Thomas G. Waites as Chilly
 * Mike Kellin as Red
 * Richard Bright as Nunn
 * Joe Grifasi as Morris
 * Lane Smith as Captain Blake
 * Richard Haves as Stick
 * Hector Troy as Gasolino
 * Richard Jamieson as Lieut. Carpenter
 * Thomas Toner as Warden
 * Ron Faber as Manning
 * David Clennon as Psychiatrist
 * Don Blakely as Tate
 * J.C. Quinn as Luther
 * Dominic Chianese as Mendoza
 * Eddie Jones as Lieut. Olson
 * Ben Slack as Clemmons
 * James Remar as Larson
 * Dave McCalley as Redmond
 * Ludwick Villani as Candy
 * John Taylor as Schulte
 * Ivan Yount as Inmate With Peaches
 * Ralph Hobbs as Zeke
 * David Berman as Caterpillar

Release
The film premiered in New York City on January 19, 1979.

Reception
Vincent Canby of The New York Times gave the film a positive review and wrote, "In adapting his novel to the screen, Mr. Braly has had to eliminate many background details, but the characters are so vividly presented in the film's present tense that one Accepts most of them for what they seem to be. It is one of the virtues of the screenplay, and of Mr. Silver's direction of it, that the characters shift and grow in our awareness as the film progresses."

Malcolm L. Johnson of the Hartford Courant also gave the film a positive review and wrote, "...it must be unequivocally stated that the strengths of this film outweigh its defects."